About Me

Welcome to my blog, Homemaking on the Homestead! 

My name is Crystal and I’m a mom to 8 nearly all grown children. All of my children have been homeschooled. My last child is 16 and should be done with high school in the next year or two. I also have 6 grandchildren and a few “adopted” grandchildren that have come into our life.
 
This pic is a few years old and missing a few grandkids, it was the last time they were all home at the same time..



My husband Tobin and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary this year!! He is an amazing man that I love very much. 



We live in SW Washington on 18 acres. Over the years we’ve had goats, horses, bunnies, chickens, pigs and lots of dogs and cats here on our homestead. Today with most of my children grown and gone (well my house fluctuates between 2 and 4 children still living at home) I am down to just a few barn cats and couple of goats to keep the ever growing brush under control. Over the years I milked goats, made cheese, soap, ice cream, and more from our own milk.


Today I’m enjoying a changing phase in my life; I’m slowly watching my life morph into an empty nest, though I know that phase is still a few years away. Right now I’m experiencing fewer children, less responsibility at home, more time spent with my growing children helping them when I can and pursuing other interests as well.


I am and always have been a full time homemaker and enjoy encouraging other homemakers has been something I love to do. That is my desire for this blog: the various topics I share about my life, homemaking, cooking & baking, etc.. will hopefully be an encouragement to those that stop by for a visit.


I started a website called The Family Homestead back in 2005 (before the day when blogs were all the rage! :). I still have that website today but find I spend my limited computer time mostly here on my blog. I try to post regularly but if you don’t see me for a day or two it’s usually because I’m busy doing the things I write about! Ha, ha!! 



Hope you grab a cup of coffee or tea and stay and visit with me for a while!!

 
 

Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 23, 2014 at 2:32 PM

    I just found your blog. I love it and know we would be great friends if not separated by so many miles. I can't wait to try some of you canning recipes and hope to have my daughter in law over to help teach her at the same time. Midwest Mom, grandma and wife, married 37 yrs with 5 grandkids. and 2 grown sons.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalJune 23, 2014 at 8:57 PM

      It's so nice to meet you!! Thank you for the message! Nice to meet like minded women!

      Crystal :)

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJuly 22, 2014 at 9:54 AM

    just located your website when looking for recipe on canning homemade chicken noodle soup. Love your site. Yesterday, we butchered three chickens, canned 16 one half pint jars of chicken breast meat and 7 pints of 'your' chicken noodle soup starter. Looking forward to making the white bean chicken chili. Thank you for sharing your life and knowledge!
    wilma

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  3. Lydia StanleySeptember 16, 2014 at 7:48 PM

    Hey I was wondering if you have any experience with Kefir? If so what benefits have you seen?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalSeptember 16, 2014 at 8:16 PM

      I’ve made kefir with both the grains and culture… I liked it, it was easy to make, easier than yogurt.. it has the same benefits as any cultured milk product.. good probiotics and such… I have some info on making kefir from cultures.. http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/makingkefirinpics.htm

      Delete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 1, 2015 at 2:48 PM

    Crystal,
    I found organic soybean meal that I want to feed my chickens.
    How would you feed the meal?
    I know you cook your own and feed about a cup every few days -
    do I need to put any liquid in the meal before I feed it to them?
    Thanks so much
    Ursula
    Goleta, CA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalJanuary 1, 2015 at 10:08 PM

      Ursula, I don't have chickens anymore... but what I would suggest is to just add it to their daily grain feed..

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJanuary 2, 2015 at 9:36 AM

      thanks so much. I will do that.
      Ursula

      Delete
  5. AnonymousNovember 11, 2015 at 1:17 PM

    Stumbled across your blog while doing a little searching, looking into starting my own! Marking you in my favorites to try all these great recipes. Have two toddlers of my own and in the spring we are making the leap to some acreage to start our own little homestead! Can't wait to read more!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalNovember 11, 2015 at 6:15 PM

      Nice to meet you!! Thank you for the comment.. Good luck with your homestead! My experience has been that it was a fantastic way to raise children. I have years and years of the sweetest memories..

      Delete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2016 at 3:02 PM

    I have been of fan of Homemaking on the Homestead, use many of your recipes, and love this blog. Thank you so much for taking time to connect with us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. bsurroundedFebruary 8, 2017 at 4:29 PM

    Hi Chrystal, I just found your blog looking for Instant Pot recipes. I just tried the spaghetti. It was so simple and only one pot to clean up. I find these SS pots so easy to clean and they don't really stick when browning meat either which surprises me. I'm excited to follow your blog. I'm a past Oregonian and soap maker in recent years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalFebruary 8, 2017 at 5:40 PM

      Very nice to meet you bsurrounded! :) I love the SS pot as well. Where did you live in Oregon? I was born in Portland.. been in Washington for the last 20 years now..

      Delete
  8. LaurenSeptember 12, 2018 at 6:46 PM

    Hi Crystal,
    You've encouraged me through your blog and website for quite a few years now. I appreciate how you show your love for the Lord through how you serve your family and respond to earthly trials. Thanks for the wonderful, biblical example you set!
    I often visit your other website, www.TheFamilyHomestead.com, for recipes and other home helps, but when I go there now, it says that the account has been suspended. Do you have an archive of all your efforts somewhere else on the internet, or maybe I'm looking in the wrong place? Thanks so much. Blessings, Lauren

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalSeptember 13, 2018 at 4:50 PM

      Hi Lauren, my site is having some updates and I ran out of space . I need to take care of that soon. If you have a particular recipe your looking for I can see if I have it. I also have recipes here on my blog under the recipe tab or you can search the blog. Thank you for your kind comments. Crystal

      Delete
  9. AnonymousOctober 29, 2018 at 12:28 PM

    Dear Crystal,
    Could I have the directions for the dryer balls and also the fort kit you are making for your grandkids? I think it would be a great idea for my kids.
    Thanks again for everything! You are a blessing to me and I've learned so much from you.
    Kim in NC

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalOctober 29, 2018 at 12:56 PM

      Hi Kim, tomorrow's post is on how to make the dryer balls.. and I'm working on a fort kit post..
      Crystal 😊

      Delete
    2. CrystalOctober 30, 2018 at 10:52 AM

      Hello again Kim! I made a mistake.. today's post is on pantry reorganization.. I have wool dryer ball post set to go out next week.. sorry about that..
      Crystal

      Delete
  10. UnknownNovember 8, 2018 at 6:30 AM

    Good Morning! I finally found you again! Many years ago (before 2007), I found your family homestead website and fell in love and used it so much. I bought a busy mom meal plan and cookbook on disc and loved it. Then I moved states and lost it, and at that time I repurchased the book (I think it was a bundle of 3 books then) as a download, but over the years have switched emails and computers and lost it again. This book was so helpful for me and I've been mourning its loss and am so glad to find your new blog! I see that it is bundled again and available to download and I would love to purchase it again (It's just that good), but when I push the buttons to either add to cart or purchase right away, I get an error message and can not purchase it. Is there a another way to buy it? Anne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CrystalNovember 10, 2018 at 9:55 AM

      Hell Anne :) I have a Face Book page for this blog. If you go over there you can message me and I'll help you out with this. Crystal

      https://www.facebook.com/homemakingonthehomestead/

      Delete

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